Worksheet on SURDS

1 What are surds?

When we take the square root of a rational number (i.e. an integer or a
fraction) sometimes the result is another rational number (e.g. 4 = 2), but
very often the result is an irrational number (e.g. 2, 3). hese latter
numbers are calle! surds.
"ur!s can only be approximately e#$resse! by a !ecimal or fraction. hat is
why, whenever we want an exact re$resentation, we sim$ly write them as
2, 3, etc.
2 Surd Rules
here are only three rules that you nee! to know when working with sur!s.
Rule 1: ( )
2
2
a a a = =
Rule 2: b a ab =
Rule 3:
b
a
b
a
=
%ote that these rules all assume that a & ' an! b & '. his is because the square root
of a negative number is un!efine!.
3 Explaining the Surd Rules: Rule 1
his rule (ust e#$resses the fact that squaring an! square rooting are inverse
o$erations ) that is, they *cancel+ each other out. ry it on your calculator,
think of number, fin! its square root, then square the result. -ou+ll fin! that
you always en! u$ back with the number you starte! with.
%otice that it !oesn+t matter in which or!er you !o the o$erations ) squaring
first, then square rooting, or vice versa ) you still en! u$ with the number
you starte! with.
3 Explaining the Surd Rules: Rule 2
Gary Pocock 12/06/14 1
his rule involves two o$erations, multi$lication an! square rooting. he
rule sim$ly says that it !oesn+t matter in what or!er you !o these o$erations,
you always get the same result.
-ou can easily see this with an e#am$le. ake two numbers ) say 3 an! ..
/irst, multi$ly them an! then take the square root of the result,
Multiply: 3 . = 0.
Square root: 0. = 3.1223133445
%ow reverse the or!er of the o$erations ) i.e. take the square root of the two
numbers first an! then multi$ly the results.
Square root: 3 = 0.232'.'1'15, . = 2.234'423225
Multiply: 3 . = 0.232'.'1'1 2.234'42322 = 3.1223133445
"ure enough, we get the same answer in each case6
Proof (Optional reading!)
o $rove this rule all we have to !o is $rove that the square of the 78" is
equal to the square of the 98".
( )
( )
( ) ( )
!" #$S
rule by ab
squaring of definition by b a
terms middle of order re%erse b b a a
b a b a
squaring of definition b a b a
b a &$S
rule by ab
ab #$S
2
2 2
2
2
2
2
) (
) 0 (
) (
) (
) ( ) ( ) (
) (
) 0 (
) (
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
4 Explaining the Surd Rules: Rule 3
his rule involves the two o$erations of di%ision an! square rooting.
:verything that was (ust sai! about rule 2 a$$lies to rule 3, $rovi!e! you
re$lace the wor! *multi$ly+ with the wor! *!ivi!e+.
5 What The Surd Rules Dont Sa
Gary Pocock 12/06/14 2
he sur! rules only involve the o$erations of squaring, square rooting,
multi$lying, an! !ivi!ing. here are no sur! rules involving a!!ition or
subtraction6
/or e#am$le,
2 2
4 3 + !oes %; equal 3 < 466 (=t equals . . 2. = )
"imilarly,

2 2
y x + !oes %; equal
y x +
66
his is the most commonly ma!e mistake when !ealing with sur!s, so watch
out for it.
! "nother #se$ul Surd Rule %&'( ) lied* There are +ore than 3 rules ,
What is 3 3 equal to> 'ns: 3. What about 2. 2. > 'ns: 2.. ?an
you see the $attern> =n general, we can say,
Rule 4: x x x =
his rule always works, even when the number is not a $erfect square. "o
you don(t nee! a calculator to fin! 2 2 6
)hy is this rule true> =t is true because of the very definition of *square root+.
/or e#am$le, the square root of 2 is the number that when multi$lie! by itself
gives 2. hat+s what *square root of 2+ means. "o, 2 2 must equal 2.
-ou will nee! this rule to answer questions 3 an! 4 below.
- .uestions
Gary Pocock 12/06/14 3
-ou may fin! the following results useful when answering question 0.
4 / 2
2
0 / 3
2
1! / 4
2
25 / 5
2
3! / !
2
40 / -
2
!4 / 1
2
11 / 0
2
122 / 12
2
121 / 11
2
144 / 12
2
1!0 / 13
2
0. Without using your calculator, evaluate the following sur! e#$ressions, using the
sur! rules wherever a$$ro$riate.
(a) 2. 3 (e) 43 43
(b)
43
0''
(f)
043
020
(c) 3 2. + (g)
4
3
(!)
1 2
3 02

Gary Pocock 12/06/14 4

2. @se sur! rules where appropriate to sim$lify the following e#$ressions. =f an
e#$ression 3annot 4e sim$lifie!, (ust write *cbs+.
(a)
2
4x (h) 2' 4
2
p
(b) 4
2
+ x (i)
04
3
2
b
(c)
3
2
a
(() ( )
2
2xy
(!)
2 2
b a (k)
( )
10
2
b a
(e) x 3 (l)
10
2 2
b a
(f)
2 2
2. q p (m)
2 2
4 02 x y x +
(g) c b a
4 4
(n)
2 2 2
2 1 y x x
(h)
2 2
2 2
d c
d c
+
(o) ( ) ( )
2 2
. 3 y x
3. @se 9ule 4 (an! other rules where a$$ro$riate) to sim$lify the following
e#$ressions.
Gary Pocock 12/06/14 5
(a) . . (g)
y x xy
(b)
2
2
(h)
x
x
1
2
(c)
03
03
(i)
3 2
3 2
+
+
x
x
(!) 3 3 3 (()
4
2
2

x
x
(e)
21
2 2
(k)
x
x
3
(f)
2'
2 .
(l)
x x
x x +
4. =n algebra, it is often more convenient not to have sur!s in the !enominators (i.e.
bottom lines) of fractions. 9ule 4 is very useful for removing sur!s from
!enominators. he metho! is sim$ly to multi$ly both the numerator an!
!enominator by the sur! that you want to remove. ("ee the answer to $art (a) for a
worke! e#am$le.) his $rocess is calle! rationalising the denominator.
9ationalise the !enominators of the following fractions.
(a)
2
.
(e)
x
2
(b)
. 3
2
(f)
x 2
4
(c)
3
2 4
(g)
1 2
2
x
(!)
0'
. 2
(h)
x
x

. 3
.
Answers
Gary Pocock 12/06/14 6
0. (a)
0.
. 3
2. 3
2. 3
=
=
=

(e)
( )
43
43
43 43
2
=
=

(b)
2
3
0
2
0'
43
0''
43
0''
= =
= (f)
03
00
043
020
043
020
=
=
(c)
4
34
3 2.
=
=
+
(g)
3
3 3
3 3
3 3 3
2 2
2 2 4
=
=
=
=
(!)
2
0
0
2
3
4
4
04
34
04
34
1 2
3 02
= = =
=
=

2. (a)
x
x x
2
4 4
2 2
=
=
(h)
. 2
) . ( 4 2' 4
2
2 2
=
=
p
p p
(b)
cbs
x 4
2
+
(i)
4
3
04
3
04
3
2 2
b b b
=

=
(c)
3 3 3
2 2
a a a
= = (() ( ) xy xy 2 2
2
=
Gary Pocock 12/06/14 7
(!)
cbs
b a
2 2

(k)
( )
3 10
2
b a b a
=

(e)
x
x x
3
3 3
=
=
(l)
3 10
2 2 2 2
b a b a
=

(f)
pq
q p
q p
.
2.
2.
2 2
2 2
=
=
(m)
0 3 2
) 0 3 ( 4 4 02
2 2 2
+ =
+ = +
y x
y x x y x
(g)
c b a
c b a
c b a
3 2
4 4
4 4
=
=
(n)
y x
y x y x x
2
2 4 2 2 2
4
04 2 1
=
=
(h)
2 2
2 2
2 2
2 2
2 2
d c
cd
d c
d c
d c
d c
+
=
+

=
+
(o)
( ) ( )
xy
y x y x
0.
. 3 . 3
2 2
=
=
3. (a) . . . = (g)
xy
y x
y x xy y x xy
=
=
=
2 2
(b) 2
2
2 2
2
2
=

= (h)
2
2 2 2
2
1
2
1
2 x x x
x
x x
x
x
= = = =
(c)
03
0
03 03
03
03
03
=

= (i)
3 2
0
3 2 3 2
3 2
3 2
3 2
+
=
+ +
+
=
+
+
x x x
x
x
x
Gary Pocock 12/06/14 8
(!) 3 3 3 3 3 = (()
2
2
2
2
2 2
2 2
) 2 )( 2 (
2
4
2
2
+

=
+

=
+

=
+

x
x
x
x
x x
x x
x x
x
x
x
(e)
0
2 2
2 2
2 4
2 2
2 4
2 2
21
2 2
= =

=
(k)
x
x
x x
x
x x
x
x x
x
x
= =

=
2 2 3
(f)
2
0
2
0
2'
0'
2'
2 .
= = =

(l)
x
x x
x
x x
x x 2 2
= =
+
4. (a)
2
2 .
2
2
2
.
2
.
= = (e)
x
x
x
x
x x
2 2 2
= =
(b)
0.
. 2
. 3
. 2
.
.
. 3
2
=

= (f)
x
x
x
x
x
x
x x
2 2
2
2 4
2
2
2
4
2
4
= =
=
(c)
4 2
3
4 4
3
3 2 4
3
3
3
2 4
3
2 4
= =
= =
(g)
4
) 4 ( 2
) 4 ( 2
1 2 2
1 2
1 2 2
1 2
1 2
1 2
2
1 2
2

x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x x
Gary Pocock 12/06/14 9
(!)
2
.
2 .
.
2 2.
.
.'
0'
.' 2
0'
0'
0'
. 2
0'
. 2
= = = =
= =
(h)
3
.
) . ( 3
. ) . (
.
.
. 3
.
. 3
.
x
x
x x
x
x
x
x
x
x

or
2
2
2 2
2
2
2 .
. 2
0'
. 2
=

= =

=
Gary Pocock 12/06/14 10